Egypt Azhar university head replaced after ‘apostasy’ remarks

Source: The Daily Star

CAIRO: The head of Egypt’s Al-Azhar university, one of the world’s leading Islamic seats of learning, has been replaced after labeling a controversial Muslim reformer an apostate, the institution said.

The development came as Al-Azhar is pressured by critics who say the venerable Sunni Muslim authority has not done enough to counter Islamist extremism.

Ahmed Hosni Taha, the acting university president, had been forced to apologize on Thursday after saying reformer Islam al-Behairy was an “apostate” for attacking some of the founding scholars of Islamic law.

His apology was followed by a statement on Friday from Al-Azhar saying that Grand Imam Ahmed al-Tayeb, who heads the institution that runs the university, had replaced Taha.